[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13205-13207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5450]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R4-R-2010-N189; 40136-1265-0000-S3]
Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Jones and Jasper Counties, GA;
Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant
Impact for Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
[[Page 13206]]
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of our final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental
assessment for Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). In the final
CCP, we describe how we will manage this refuge for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the CCP by writing to: Ms. Carolyn
Johnson, Piedmont NWR, 718 Juliette Road, Round Oak, GA 31038. The CCP
may also be accessed and downloaded from the Service's Web site: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/ under ``Final Documents.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Carolyn Johnson; telephone: 478/
986-5441.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we finalize the CCP process for Piedmont NWR. We
started this process through a notice in the Federal Register on April
4, 2008 (73 FR 18552).
Piedmont NWR was established in 1939 through an Executive Order of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Other establishing authorities
included the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, Bankhead-Jones Farm
Tenant Act, and the Refuge Administration Act. The refuge was
established as a ``combination wildlife and game-management
demonstration area'' to demonstrate that wildlife could be restored on
worn out, eroded lands. The refuge is primarily forested and provides
habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and associated
wildlife species of concern. Prescribed burning and timber thinning are
used to ensure that quality pine habitat is maintained for red-cockaded
woodpeckers, neotropical migratory songbirds, and other native
wildlife. Hardwood stands provide excellent habitat for neotropical
migratory songbirds, turkeys, squirrels, and other woodland wildlife.
Compatibility determinations for hunting; fishing; environmental
education and interpretation; wildlife observation and photography;
boating; camping (associated with big game hunts, scouts, and other
youth organizations only); firewood cutting; forest management; off-
road vehicles (confined to wheelchair for mobility only); research;
training; and walking, jogging, and bicycling are available in the CCP.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee) (Administration Act), as amended by the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires us to develop
a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose for developing a
CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving
refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National
Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and
wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and our policies. In
addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife
and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update
the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration
Act.
Comments
We made copies of the Draft CCP/EA available for a 30-day public
review and comment period via a Federal Register on May 13, 2010 (75 FR
26979). We received 16 comments on the Draft CCP/EA.
Selected Alternative
The Draft CCP/EA identified and evaluated four alternatives for
managing the refuge. After considering the comments we received and
based on the professional judgment of the planning team, we selected
Alternative B for implementation.
Under Alternative B, we will place emphasis on restoring and
improving resources needed for wildlife and habitat management and
providing enhanced and compatible wildlife-dependent public use
opportunities. We will continue to monitor and manage the red-cockaded
woodpecker population, with a goal of an annual increase in population
of 3 to 5 percent.
We will increase wildlife surveys to include breeding birds, bald
eagles, furbearers, resident birds, raptors, reptiles and amphibians.
We will initiate basic inventories for fish species and invertebrates,
including dragonflies, crayfish, and mussels. We will continue to
collect quail, turkey, and deer data through managed hunts and surveys,
and reinstate turkey brood counts. We will increase efforts to maintain
a deer population of 30 to 35 deer per-square-mile, with a balanced sex
ratio.
We will expand habitat management by modifying forest management
strategies to benefit wildlife and habitat diversity. We will continue
to maintain current fire management programs but intensify management
of a 5,000-acre Piedmont savanna focus area, with smaller burn units on
a 2-year rotation. We will prioritize the need for removal of invasive
plants and animals and enhance wildlife openings and roadsides for
early successional habitat diversity. For aquatic species, we will
continue to implement Georgia's Best Management Practices for Forestry,
but will also survey streams to identify species. We will continue to
manage the impoundments as demonstration areas for waterfowl and
implement a water management program to enhance habitat and wildlife
diversity.
We will revise the current visitor services plan and update signs,
brochures, exhibits, and Web sites. Kiosks and an automated phone
system will be added. Opportunities for wildlife observation, wildlife
photography, environmental education and interpretation, and outreach
will be expanded. We will continue to maintain and where possible
expand hunting and fishing opportunities. We will maintain our current
law enforcement program and, in addition, revise the law enforcement
plan and reinstate the law enforcement outreach program. We will
document additional historic sites and update current GIS data to
provide for better resource protection. We will evaluate the potential
of expanding the refuge acquisition boundary to meet our goals and
objectives in accordance with current Service policy. We will seek
partnerships to monitor the impacts of climate change on refuge
resources and adapt management as needed to conserve the native
wildlife and habitats.
Additional staff will be required to accomplish the goals of the
CCP and support both Piedmont and Bond Swamp NWRs. This will include
reinstating an assistant forester and an interpretive park ranger and
adding the following: Biologist, forestry technician, park ranger (law
enforcement), refuge operations specialist, prescribed fire/fuels
technician, engineering equipment operator, and two seasonal forestry
technicians (firefighters). We will continue to promote partnerships
and work with adjacent private landowners to support our goals and
objectives. We will expand our volunteer program to include more
resident interns.
Authority
This notice is published under the authority of the National
Wildlife
[[Page 13207]]
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57.
Dated: September 22, 2010.
Mark J. Musaus,
Acting Regional Director.
Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the
Federal Register on March 7, 2011.
[FR Doc. 2011-5450 Filed 3-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P